This invention relates generally to fabrics, and more particularly, is directed to a white blackout drapery fabric.
Opaque fabrics used primarily for completely darkening or blackening out a window are well known in the art. Two general methods of manufacturing such fabrics are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,445 to Sternlieb, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. These methods generally involve backing or laminating various foams or sheetings to the fabric.
Drawbacks of these methods include that the blackout fabrics produced are bulky and stiff, drape poorly and are difficult to launder. Further, such blackout fabrics tend to come apart or delaminate and they are difficult to stitch. It is also difficult to ensure that such blackout fabrics are fire retardant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,445 to Sternlieb discloses a bi-component white blackout fiber containing a polymeric core component and a polymeric sheath. The polymeric core contains the light blocking substance and whitening agent is contained generally throughout the core and sheath. An opaque white blackout fiber is produced where the core of the fiber is sufficiently dark to prevent the transmission of light therethrough and the core and the surrounding sheath are sufficiently opaque to prevent viewing of the darker core space. The sheath fiber has good yarn processing qualities.
The bi-component white blackout fiber, however, is not commercially viable due primarily to the expense of its production.
The suggestion of a unitary fiber white blackout fabric would involve the use of a sufficient amount of TiO.sub.2 to render the fiber opaque. Drawbacks apparent in this idea are that the resulting fiber would be brittle and difficult to handle, thereby creating difficulties with further processing of the fiber.
The present invention overcomes the problems in the art by providing a white blackout fiber consisting essentially of a unitary fiber having a light blocking substance that substantially prevents the transmission of light therethrough and a whitening agent, where the whitening agent is present in an amount between about 2.5-4% by weight of the fiber, and the whitening agent and light blocking substance are present in a ratio of between about 1000:1 and 800:1.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric that is substantially opaque to light.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric having a unitary fiber.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric that allows for good after-processing, i.e., the fiber has good yarn spinning characteristics.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric which is commercially viable to produce.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric having particular utility with drapery linings, printed and solid color hotel and motel draperies, theater curtains, and woven and non-woven vertical blinds.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric that presents a white appearance.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric that is aesthetically pleasing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a blackout fiber that can be used with fabrics that are woven, knit, stitch bonded, needled, wet laid, dry laid, spun bonded and spun laced.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric that is soft.
It is yet another object to provide a blackout fabric that can be easily draped.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric that can be dyed and printed upon.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric having a pleasing hue.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a blackout fabric which appears soft.